Are you a museum educator? Interpreter? Docent?

Are you a curator? Exhibit designer? Text panel label writer?

Are you an Executive Director? Board member?

Then this book is for you.

I talk about this book All. The. Time. It is by far one of the most important books I’ve ever read on the subject of museum education, learning in non-traditional environments, free-choice learning, or just pretty much learning in general. In fact, it has helped me understand my own children and how they learn at school and at home.

That said, it is not an easy read. It’s an actual textbook, and a dense one at that. It is crammed with research, facts, and information. But it is so, so worth the read.

This edition, published in 2018 is the 2nd edition. I read the first one in grad school many years ago, and I’m grateful for the updated version. Not only have Falk and Dierking reimagined their classic Contextual Model of Learning to include additional aspects of the learning experience, but with this new edition, the pages are bigger - which means more room for notes!

My copy is highlighted, written over, marked up, and dog-eared. I refer to it constantly. Once I took the time to dive into this book and apply the principles Falk and Dierking teach, it revolutionized my program planning and facilitation.

So grab your highlighter and your favorite pen and dive into one of the most impactful books you can read on your museum education journey!